Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-02

own hands, hung a silver medal
around the neck of Spotted Horse.
In reward for this clemency. Spot.
ted Horse, during the Indian wars
on the plains, murdered and mas.
sacred oyer two hundred men, wo-
men and children along the Platte.
Baker thinks that Spotted Horse
was. IN after years, roasted to death
by the Bannocks for treachery, and
that such a death was none too
good for such savage.
A DUEL WITH LEFT HAND.
Duels were as common in the
West in those days as in the South,
and the following story is told of
Jim Baker challenging Left Hand,
the great varclief of the Arapahoes.
He was known by that name by the
whites. as it was remarkable to see
an Indian who was left.handed. --
His indian name was Ni.Wot. \
mountain stream and little pOstOf-
fe near Denver bear the name Of
| Ni-Wot, In honor Of the old warrior.
1t was early in the sixties, when
jim Baker was living on Clear
creek, that he had excited the ha.
tired and animOsity Of Left Hand.
On one occasion, Left Hand and a
band of his tribe camped near jim
Bakers cabin. Believing that they
were bent on mischief. and that his
old enemy intended TO make war on
him, Baker, with rifle in hand, went
alone to Left Hands camp. The In
dians were amazed to see Baker en-
ter their camp alone, and much
more so when they saw him walk
up to Left Hand and say:
as Left Hand, the great chief
and warrior of the Arapahoes, here
for peace or warp
The chief, startled 10y the nerve
and also the abrupt question Of the
speaker, hesitated a moment.
(Which is it my Indian brother
wants y again said Baker.
"Paleface no friend Of Arapa-
hoes" replied Left Hand. "Me no
afraid of Jim Baker. lie shoot rifle
like Kit Carson, bnt Left Hand 10
afraid
Angry words followed, and Lett
Hand shouted out:
"Me heap great warrior Of Ara
pahOes ; mad at paleface. Left
Hand come to fight, and fight now"
shaking his rifle defantly.
Eight with rifles ~ asked Baker.
"Left Hand no afraid paleiace
rifle; fight with rifle hundred
yards"
"Lelt Hand has spoken like a
warrior and ! will fight" replied
Baker, for he knew that he was
more than a match for any Indian
with his rife, and although the on
ly white man in or near the Indian
camp, he feared them not. The
hundred yards were stepped off,
and Baker and Left Hand took
their places; but before either had
fred a shot the Indians interlered
and put an end to the intended
duel. Baker then threw his rifle
over his shoulder and returned to
his cabin, and was never after
wards mOlested by Left Hand.
EDUCATING HIS DAUGHTERS.
The old hunter took a great in
terest in the education Of his two
half.breed daughters, and sent them
to a convent. lie had them Taught
music, and once, when on a trip to
Denver, he bought the elder a me.
lodeon. Before leaving the city,
after thinking the matter over, he
came to the conclusion that it wOuld
not be doing the fair thing to bay
melOdeon for one and not for the
other, and, returning to the music
store, bought another, and when he
vent back to the mountains he took
with him two melodeOns-one for
each daughter. One Of these half
breed daughters is said to have
wonderful strength. 1t is reported
Of her thaton one occasion, when
milking COZ, she became angry
at the attending calf, and, Selling
it by the tail, swung it over her
head and thence Owe the fence.
A WESTERN siHINx.
Jim Baker is like a sphinx. His
long life IN the mountains and
among the Indians has made him
one of the most reticent Of men,
lie refuses to talk about his ex-
ploits, and only occasionally refers
to the great events Of his life in
some private talk with a friend, If
you try to interview him, it alatms
HIN more than an electric car.
Don't ask me any questions" he
says, in his dry, bluff way, "yoN
newspaper fellows want to make a
--- fool Of me-"
Such are some Of the character.
istics of old Jim BaSer. A more
honest man never lived. He has
! the courage of lion combined with
the simplicity Of child, and many
a fronusrsman's family has felt
douDly safe because. jim Baker,
with biz rifle, was beneath the roof,
, big .heTted and loyal, and one who
Q never deserted a friend. But his
missim is over. His work is done.
- lie VII live in history as one OF